In recent years, speed and endurance training devices have increased in popularity with individuals and amateur and professional sports teams. A wide variety of equipment and training regimens have been devised for athletes engaged in all sports, including soccer, ice hockey, track and field, football, basketball, baseball, swimming and the like. Athletes have employed weighted skid sleds strapped by a cord to a belt and pulled while running across a natural or artificial turf field or weighted skid sleds that are pushed. One of the more recently developed and popular training regimens involves using the wind or water for resistance through the use of a strapped-on air chute during running or “sea anchor” like, water chute during swimming. For example, a sport parachute (or drag chute) for use in speed and endurance enhancement training for athletes. This example can be referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,394 A which discloses an improved athletic training parachute. The parachutes help achieve different training goals such as speed endurance, strength endurance, start acceleration and explosiveness. The training parachute of U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,394 A references a quick release means for allowing a quick release of said parachute from the athlete's body during movement so that the drag provided by the inflated parachute may be released to effect an over-speed condition for enhanced speed training. The patents quick release referred to a large radio controlled transmitter from the model airplane remote control units manufactured by Futaba. Generally, the problems with these type of remote controls are; loses signal and the signal cuts in and out at unpredictable distances and wind occurrences, the need of an on/off power source switch, frequency disturbances, and alignment issues, thereby making the quick release aspect unreliable.
Specific restraints, equipment and devices which could benefit from a more reliable quick release mechanism include rodeo rider ropes, athletic resistance bands, animal collars and bungee cords. Other known restraints and handling devices could by developed to incorporate the quick release consistent with the present application.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,658 to Townsend discloses a bull rope incorporating a quick-release mechanism, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The quick-release disclosed therein includes a spring biased latch arm and a main pivoting latch arm. As noted, this type of mechanical arrangement is prone to contamination and corrosion, and the mechanical moving parts often fail to function properly. Also, the only means disclosed of actuating the release mechanism is by manually pulling the release cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 962,890 to Byrd at el. discloses a harness for controlling animals. A release mechanism is provided for the “operable ropes” of the restraint. The release is located along the lower side area of the animal, which is relatively difficult to access when the animal is standing. The release is activated by pressing a thumb piece, which requires the handler to position himself close to the animal in order to activate the release mechanism, thereby increasing the danger the handler will be kicked or otherwise harmed by the animal. Also, the release utilizes spring-biased mechanical parts which are susceptible to contamination, corrosion, and subsequent failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,410 to Wilson at al. discloses a releasable tether having a hook-shaped end and a spring-biased bolt closing member. The release mechanism includes a cable housed in a plastic tube. One end of the cable is connected to the bolt and the other end is connected to a trigger member. This release mechanism is rather complex, and includes moveable spring-biased parts which are prone to contamination, corrosion, and subsequent failure.
A radio controlled bucking strap release mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,530 to Labart, et al. As is well known, a bucking strap is applied to a horse or bull in the flank area thereof to cause the animal to buck more actively, such as in a bucking contest at a rodeo. The bucking strap is not gripped by the rider, and the purpose of the radio operated release is to disconnect the bucking strap and thus caine the animal so that it will stop bucking. Accordingly, the device does not help a rider release his hands from the bull rope. Moreover, the release mechanism includes a motor and a gear linkage arrangement that produces a lost motion, which would render the mechanism undesirably slow in operation.